The Funeral
by Revolutionary Renegade
Summary: Naruto has been killed, and Sasuke has a sudden change of heart.


I was a changed man. I was a changed man in both negative and positive ways. I had done some things that are inexcusable. There were so many crimes and sins… so many mistakes… It had never occurred to me that all of this could spur from one mistake; that one goal being met could lead to a whole string of new goals, all of which cried foul play in legal terms.

It had never occurred to me that he could be _right._

Because of my ignorance and hatred, many had perished, and blood was spilled every which-way. If I had just listened… If I had listened, I wouldn't be in the predicament I was in now. I was a high-class criminal, listed in the bingo book as a missing-nin. Akatsuki activities were listed on my history of crimes. I had accusations of abduction and murder following me wherever I went. Every nation in the world wanted me dead. Even my own past friends decided to give in to demands and attempt at destroying me, however pathetic the attempts were…

And it was all because I had decided not to listen to the one person who really cared. What an idiot I was… To be honest, I didn't really care… until now. It was almost a shock… I mean, how could it happen? I understood that the guy was a loud-mouth, being very out-spoken and free-spirited, but damn… As impatient as he was, he was still strong and cautious enough to guard himself if he ever just ran straight into something… How could his safety fail? It didn't sound real… And I still couldn't believe how fast the news spread across the nations. It was as if the leader of a nation had passed away… How could it happen?

How could he… _die?_

It was true; I didn't seek a friendship with him, or at least a normal one, at best. In all truth, that was because in a strange and twisted way, I did admire him. He was a friend. I had never truly broken our bond. That was why I had never really wanted to kill him in the first place, and it was also why I refused him in battle constantly. Even though it appeared that I hated him, there truly was no way for him to ever be hated by _anybody_. The kid had managed to melt the hearts of the coldest men and women… Gaara of the Sand, two of the Legendary Sanins, and even Nagato, the former leader of the Akatsuki. And those were only the major shinobi.

One could only imagine how many others were miraculously changed by the kid.

How could he die?

How the hell could Naruto Uzumaki ever die?

I first heard the news from Madara. He was angry, oh so angry, because the nine-tails had slipped him again. When the jinchuuriki passed away, efforts were already under way to find a new host. This was done quickly, and hardly any damage from the fox had sufficed. It really wasn't _that_ bad of news for Madara, considering that the new host was much less powerful. It was really only a nuisance, because it meant that the seal was fresh, and would need much more work to loosen and finally break when extracting the beast, once the new jinchuuriki was captured. In a way, once he got past the anger, he was actually a bit glad.

My reaction was less enthusiastic.

It was a shock… At first, I completely shoved away and denied the thought of the morbid news being true. I found it so hard to believe that Naruto could die so easily… That he could just be simply ambushed and murdered after all that he had done to grow as strong as he was. It didn't make any sense, but it happened… He was really dead…

He said we'd both die.

He said that the next time we saw each other, we would both die.

And I denied him again… I told him that he would die. I told him that I would overcome him. I had no idea that for once… he was wrong. The one thing I wanted so terribly at that point was for me to be wrong again, just so I'd see him alive one more time. Even if it meant that my heart stopped beating, at least it stopped at the same time and rhythm as Naruto's.

Once the waves of shock and denial washed over me and rippled away, everything sort of faded in me. My hatred, and my anger… my ignorance and brutality… it all just dissipated. The only thing I cared about was seeing my friend just one more time. Madara would never have allowed it, which was why I snuck away on my own. I needed to get to Konoha to see him… just one last time… I didn't even pack my bags; I knew that I wasn't returning. This was my last mission.

A suicide mission.

My feet carried me away, into the woods, and away from my former hideout with the only other Uchiha left in this world. As I leapt from branch to branch, I felt myself coming closer to my old home. Memories of Team Seven flashed in my mind. Those memories really took me back… It was almost hard to believe that it was only three years ago that I'd left. I started to wonder what it was like now… back in Konoha. Was it the same? I knew it had recently been destroyed by the Akatsuki, but I knew the village better than that. Relief efforts would have already been underway once the presence of the Akatsuki was gone. And even then, the efforts wouldn't last long. Konoha was a strong village, with strong-willed people.

That's where he got it.

Naruto picked up his will from the other Shinobi. He picked it up from our past leaders. He even _outdid them_ when it came to will power.

Again, I was stumped as to how this all could happen. With a will like his, why couldn't he fight? Why couldn't he fend for himself as he always did? There was no way that he'd ever give up. He had never given up on anything before.

Not even me. He _never_ gave up on me.

… And that was the problem. If he had just given up on me, or I had just listened…

My best friend would still be alive.

Sighing, I continued to mentally beat myself up, blaming myself for Naruto's death. The closer I got, the more brutal I was on myself. A pain was beginning to well in my chest, and it grew with every step. The pain stretched through my muscles, enclosing on my arms and legs, and streaking through my throat… swallowing my body. My face grew hot, and I felt myself weaken. Fighting for strength, I pushed on, not daring to slow down and lose my pace. If I couldn't make it in time… I could never live with myself…

Not that I planned on living after this anyway.

I knew that I would have to negotiate. I was still a wanted man… The moment my feet touched Konoha's territory, I would have to explain myself, and make a deal. Hopefully, they would take my word, and would give in to my final demand. If that went as planned, then I would be a free man, but maybe only for a good hour or two… just long enough to say good-bye to my friend. After that, my fate lied in the hands of the nation. I knew what they wanted, and I fully accepted that.

After a good hour or so, the forest became familiar, and I realized that I was near the border. Patrols would be nearby, and then I would have to negotiate my deal at the gates…

This would be interesting.

Sure enough, within another few minutes, patrols were standing in my way, ready to attack. I backed down willing, and showed to them that I meant no harm. Shocked, they openly expressed their confusion.

"Sasuke Uchiha, we are ordered to take custody of you and have you executed under the orders of the Five Great Kage. We demand that you come peacefully."

I nodded, and answered, "Yes, I fully understand. I only ask for one small condition."

Again, shock and confusion was strongly evident in the shinobi. My lack of brutality and anger most likely was the cause of this. In response, they nodded, and escorted me to the gates, but we did not stop there like I had thought. Instead, I was taken through the village, (which I realized was in great shape and had barely changed), and straight to the Hokage's office.

Behind her desk sat Lady Tsunade, who looked the same as I had remembered. Her eyes grew with surprise as I was brought into the room.

"It can't be…" she said quietly.

"We found the Uchiha approaching the village. He was unarmed and came willing. He has agreed to his execution, but asks for one condition," the shinobi informed their leader.

"Yes, yes, that is fine. Please, give us a moment to speak privately."

With a nod, they were gone. That left the Hokage and I alone.

"You've returned."

"Yes, I have."

"This is for Naruto… isn't it?"

"Yes. That was my condition. I wish to attend his funeral. Once I have said good-bye, you are free to do as you will with me."

"Very well, then. The service is scheduled for tomorrow morning. You may stay in the village until then, but you must be under surveillance. And once the service is over, you are to come with us again straight away."

"Understood."

"Sasuke… May I ask you a question?"

"You may."

She was quiet for a moment, gathering her thoughts. Finally, she asked, "Why did you return? All this time… we thought you hated him. Why would you return for this, and fully accept death?"

I hardly took a moment to answer. "It's rather complicated… but he really is my friend. All I want to do before I die is see him once more. Then I'll be complete." I couldn't tell her what else I had to say… I had a hard time saying it to myself, quite honestly.

She nodded, and sent me on my way with another group of escorts. The looks I got while walking the streets were indescribable. Older residents just gazed, almost dazed and unwilling to believe what they were seeing. Younger children were ushered away by their parents, despite their curiosity. I saw students… academy students, as they filed out of the academy itself. They knew who I was, I could tell, because they all began to whisper as they laid their eyes on my face. Just as we were approaching an apartment building, a familiar face passed by. It was Shikamaru Nara. It took a moment for him to notice me. When he did, he froze. I could see a mix of distraught and surprise in his face. Our eyes locked for a moment, and then I was led on forward to the apartments.

I was brought up the stairs and onto the second floor, and from there I was escorted into my room. Once it was sure that all windows and other exits were secured tightly and protected by entrapment seals, I was left alone. Scrolling the room with my eyes, I found that it was very similar to my original one, when I had lived in the village three years previously. My body took a moment to rest, and then I made my way to one of the windows. I had a breathtaking view of the Hokage monument from this particular window. I recognized the faces of the First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Hokages. Suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed at my chest.

He should have been there.

Naruto so terribly wanted to be Hokage. His face should have been on that mountain, beside Lady Tsunade. If it weren't for me, it probably would have been. How could I be so selfish? By meeting my goal of false revenge, I kept my best friend from meeting his one and only true goal.

Seeing the monument grew to be too much, so I had to move away from this window. Instead, I made my way to the window on the next wall, which I found gave a great view of the street below. Looking down, I saw a few of the same villagers as earlier, plus some new faces. There seemed to be a buzz going amongst them, and it didn't take long for me to figure out just what that buzz could be. Gossip; it never failed. God knows what they were saying down there… For all I knew, they could have said that I had come to bring chaos to Naruto's funeral, or to take the lives of his friends, or even the Hokage. Well, Naruto was worth the humiliation and misunderstanding. It wouldn't matter much anyway. Tomorrow, I would die, and then none of the gossip or rumors could harm me.

I continued to watch the street when suddenly, I saw another familiar face. It was my former sensei, Kakashi. He was walking along the streets alone, with his book in hand. However, I could tell that he wasn't reading it. His mind was far from the contents of those pages, I was sure. He had just lost a comrade and former student. I had no idea if he knew whether or not I was here, but part of me wasn't really concerned. However, I did wonder one thing.

Where was Sakura?

She would be at the service tomorrow, no doubt. But where was she now? Perhaps she was helping arrange the service itself, or was grieving privately elsewhere. Some part of me longed to see her. I knew that she would never accept me again, especially after I had tricked and attempted to murder her. But still, I wanted to be there for her.

What was happening to me?

After all of this time having neither a need nor care in the world for her, I felt that I needed to see her, and be with her. It wasn't that I loved her, but more that I finally respected the girl. She had gone through so much… she did not deserve any of this to happen. How could so many terrible things happen to such a kind person? The more I thought of it, the worse I felt, and the more guilt I felt. Oh, how I wanted to see Sakura...

At that moment, there was a knock at the door.

I went to open it and realized that the door was still sealed. Instead, I called out that it was alright to come in. At that, the door opened and the same shinobi who escorted me entered the room.

"These are from Lady Tsunade. Please wear them at tomorrow's service."

It was a set of black garments. I nodded and told them to thank the Hokage for me. The men agreed and exited the room, leaving me alone again. I sat down on the bed and placed the clothing next to me. I lied back, with my feet dangling off of the mattress. Staring at the ceiling, I attempted to clear and calm my mind. I could not enter the funeral service with a mind clouded with grief. If I were to be there for Sakura, whether she accepted me or not, I had to be strong for her. Things would never go smoothly if all was in shambles.

Closing my eyes, for a moment, I attempted to just erase everything from my mind. All of the images that played behind my eyes, and all of the sounds that lingered in my ears, and every other memory I had, needed to rest for now. They needed to leave me in peace for just the night. Eventually, they began to evaporate. With them, my surroundings began to grow dull. Everything around me was beginning to wash away. Even with my eyes closed, I could see the room around me vanish. It hadn't quite dawned on me that I was exhausted, and that at that very moment, I was slipping into unconsciousness. My body lost its immediate senses as I entered slumber, and soon, I was fast asleep. In my dreams, it was no use, though.

I was taken back to my early years, back when Naruto and I had first met. I was taken back to our academy days. Then, my mind skipped to our days as genins, training under Kakashi's surveillance. I relived our missions, and the moments where I just couldn't help but actually enjoy Naruto and his company. I was reminded of our personal competition; of our strives to be stronger than the other. It was all very calm and serene. My memories served me peacefully, and gave me a boost that would last me in the morning. They gave me the strength to get up and prepare for my day ahead.

When I had gotten dressed and prepared for the service that next morning, the grief was not as strong as it had been the day before. I knew that it would change by the time I had arrived at the funeral service, but for the time being, it was a relief to have enough positivity to function. My escorts came early, and brought me to the Hokage's office first. Lady Tsunade was waiting for me as I had anticipated.

"Good morning," she greeted me. It was not a warm greeting, but then again, it was not a very warm day in the village.

"Good morning," I replied.

For a moment, the woman was quiet. I could see that she was gathering her thoughts once again, and that she had something quite important to tell me. Patiently, I awaited her words.

Finally, she spoke. "Sasuke, I was thinking… in honor of the original Team Seven, I would like there to be a private viewing and good-bye for Naruto and his team, and you… you are welcome to the event. You were after all, an original member of Team Seven."

For a moment, I was speechless.

The gratitude I felt towards Tsunade at that moment was overwhelming. Eventually, I found my voice, and the words to accept the offer and thank the woman. She explained that the gathering would take place after the official service, and that once it was over, I would have to turn myself back in. I fully agreed, and so I was dismissed and escorted to the place of the service. I was not allowed to linger, and was kept away from the public at first. It was thought that my presence would be a spectacle if I was already on the premises. It had been decided to allow the majority of guests to arrive before I was allowed to come out. The number of people astonished me, as I watched them gather from my hiding place. At first, I only saw common villagers and shinobi whom I had never met. It had taken a while before a familiar face popped up.

The first group I recognized was Might Guy's Team. I recognized them all at once: Lee, Neji, Tenten, and Guy himself. They filed in together, and remained close. Soon after them came Asuma's team, but I noticed that Asuma was not among them. It was only Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino. I began to wonder why he was missing. My thoughts were interrupted as the next group of familiar faces filed in. This was Kurenai and her group, along with a younger addition: an infant, which lay asleep in Kurenai's arms.

Another surprise.

I would have attempted to piece two-and-two together if the next faces had not arrived so soon. The Kazekage, Gaara of the sand, had arrived with his siblings. They gathered with the rest of the crowd, and quietly mingled. Well, I saw that Kankuro and Temari were mingling. Gaara was dead silent. He was usually a quiet person, but this was different. There was something in his face… Distress? Grief? Most likely, it was. If it had not been for Naruto, the red head would not have become the Kazekage. If it was not for Naruto, he would not even be _alive._ Naruto had done so much for Gaara.

After them, there were not many more familiar faces, other than villagers that I had faintly recognized from my time living there. Besides that, every other guest was a stranger. And still, there was no sign of Kakashi or Sakura. I was beginning to assume that they were perhaps behind the scenes maintaining last-minute preparations. If that were the case, I would most likely be in the crowd before they arrived.

Within another few pain-staking minutes of waiting, and as I was finally about to be released to join the crowd, a beautiful face arrived on the premises. Her hair was a perfect soft shade of pink, and despite the obvious pain that resided in them, her aqua eyes shone with a delicate and simple beauty. Sakura had arrived, with Kakashi and Tsunade just behind her. I was released, and right away, I cautiously approached Sakura, who had taken her place at the head of the crowd.

The expression on the girl's face as she laid her eyes on me was something I would never forget. It was a set of mixed emotions. Pain was evident, and even under that was hurt, and a strong notion of anger.

"Sakura…"

Without a word, she had raised her fist, ready to strike, but it quivered, and she was reluctant in her intention. Instead, she slapped me across the face. It was not a strong strike, but it was hard enough to get her point across.

I deserved it, and I knew it.

But before I could even respond, Sakura suddenly threw her arms around me, and sobbed into my chest. Shocked, I cautiously put my arms around her and rubbed her back soothingly. I closed my eyes and rested my chin on her shoulder lightly. I could feel everybody's eyes on us, but not a single part of me cared, and something told me that neither did Sakura. This was our moment; a personal exchange between the two of us. A firm hand was placed on my shoulder, but in a calm, and almost friendly way. I recognized it anywhere. Even Kakashi was putting things aside for the day. I opened my eyes, and Sakura and I broke away from each other. We nodded to each other, and stood side-by-side. Lady Tsunade signaled for the service to begin, and in obedience, the service went under way. The time flew by, and before I knew it, we were finally laying flowers in front of Naruto's photograph. Just looking into his eyes through that picture was difficult enough. A hand caught mine from behind, and lightly tugged me, bringing me with its owner.

It was Sakura.

As we waited for the rest of the crowd to pay their final respects, we continued to hold hands. Her hand was so cold compared to mine… It was so painful to think that her sadness was affecting her physically.

I was not the only one to notice.

"Your hand is so warm… it's very soothing," Sakura whispered softly, as she rested her head on my shoulder.

"I'm glad to be of assistance, then," I replied, just as soft as her.

She closed her eyes, and bit her lip. Something in her made my pain feel so much stronger. My eyes began to burn, and I realized that this would be so much harder than I had thought. Just as I was about to give up and give in, I felt a drop of water splash on the top of my head. Then another.

Huh?

I looked up, and above us, a dark cluster of clouds had gathered. Then, it began to rain. Guests continued to lay down flowers for Naruto, and suddenly I was brought back to another day… when it was Sakura, Naruto, Kakashi, and I, gathered with the entire village to mourn the loss of another important figure: the Third Hokage. Everything was so similar, if not identical. The only obvious difference was that it was Naruto that was in the casket this time. The irony was so strong and cruel.

Sakura looked up at me and said, "Look Sasuke, even the sky is crying…"

It was childish, yet true. I fully agreed, and replied, "Let's hope that Naruto is up there, smiling at least. Maybe he's even making fun of us."

A smile nearly broke on her face, but Sakura blocked it from view by burying it in my chest yet again. I stroked her hair until she found it fit to resurface. When she had, the rain had steadied to a light drizzle, and the service had come to an end. I accompanied her as she said good-bye to her friends and other guests, whom all seemed shocked by my non-threatening presence. Shikamaru still had nothing to say to me, but he did see it fit to shake my hand in the end. I watched as he carefully ushered a depressed Ino off of the premises.

When the last of the guests finally left, Sakura, Kakashi, Tsunade, and I gathered together. It was silent, since we were all very aware of what came next. There was certainly a sense of wonder as to whether or not any of us could handle what we were about to see or do. Sakura had not once let go of my hand, and her grip grew tighter as she anticipated the next few minutes to come.

Finally, the Fifth Hokage spoke. "I understand that this will be hard, but I want there to be some closure amongst you all, as far as this tragedy goes. That also goes for me, I must admit. Though you already know, I must warn you that you are about to view the body of Naruto Uzumaki. I want Team Seven to be together just once more before you depart once again. Once I have paid my own quick respects, I will leave you three alone with him."

We nodded, and we were led to Naruto's casket. The lid was brought open, and inside laid a young man, pale as death, with bright blonde hair. Sakura yelped quietly, and quickly, I threw my arms around her and held her close, determined to protect her from the sorrow that was inevitable. She let go of my hand and buried her fists in my chest on either side of her face gently. I rubbed her back again, and coaxed her to relax and fight her pain. Soon, she managed to step back beside me once again, and the girl managed to slip her hand into mine once again. Kakashi was silent this entire time, studying our actions, and fighting away his emotions as well, I was sure.

The three of us watched as Lady Tsunade approached the casket. That was when I noticed something dangling from her hand. It took me a while to figure out just what it was. When she put her hands inside the casket and made an effort to put something around Naruto's neck, I finally realized what it was.

It was Naruto's necklace.

It was the necklace that Lady Tsunade had given to him three years ago after he had risked his life for hers. It was back when Naruto had gone with Master Jiraiya to retrieve the Fifth Hokage, herself. He had always worn it around his neck after that. It only seemed fit that he would be the one to keep it in his grave.

Once the necklace was fastened, Tsunade turned towards us. She was wiping away a few silent tears and she nodded silently, giving the signal that we were on our own now. For a moment, as we watched the Hokage walk away, we were all motionless and silent. The atmosphere felt horrifying and surreal. The rain was still falling lightly, and the sky was still very dark with clustered clouds blocking out the sun. Sakura and I locked eyes for a moment, and I realized that she looked terrified. Gently, I took her other hand and brought her in front of me so that we were facing each other.

"Don't be scared, Sakura. You aren't alone. Kakashi and I are both here."

She nodded and whispered, "I-I know… but I can't face seeing him this way…"

"Would you like Kakashi to go first? It only seems fair since he was our sensei. And then if you'd like, I can walk you up for your turn."

She nodded, and a faint smile appeared on her face for a moment. "Yes… Yes, thank you, Sasuke."

"Alright then," I said.

She and I turned to Kakashi, who I was sure had already heard, and nodded to him anyway to signal that he got the first turn. He nodded back, and made his way to the casket. We watched as he kneeled before Naruto. He remained there for quite a while, talking to him, we assumed. Sakura and I waited patiently. Though I knew that I did not have time on my side, not a single bit of me found it right to take from either Sakura or Kakashi. Part of me was feeling rather comfortable around them, actually. I felt like I was welcome. The timing was terrible, but it was better late than never. Just as we thought Kakashi was finished, and we saw him get up, we suddenly saw him reach for his mask. We couldn't see his face because his back was to us, but we knew what he was doing.

Naruto had always wanted to know what was under the mask. This was Kakashi's way of saying goodbye and rewarding him for such an outstanding job as a shinobi. For a moment, Sakura and I looked at each other, and we laughed. It was terrible to laugh at a time like that, but it somehow felt very appropriate. Especially considering how well we knew Naruto.

We watched from behind as Kakashi pulled his mask back up, and we managed to settle down. He turned around and nodded to Sakura and I that it was either of our turns, depending on whoever wanted to go first. I looked at Sakura, and I took her hand.

"You should go next. You got to be with him far more than me, so you are much closer to him."

She nodded, and I escorted her up to the casket. I took a step back, and she turned to look at me. The expression on her face was that of a helpless child.

"Don't worry. I'm right here."

She nodded, and turned around. I watched her reach for something beside the casket, and then for a moment she held it in her hand before finally placing it in the casket with Naruto. It was his headband. After that, she knelt down as well, and began to speak softly. I couldn't hear much of what she had to say. I heard her mention that I was here to see him, and that the whole village had come to say good-bye. All else I was deaf to. She began to cry, and I watched as she wiped away the tears. A few more minutes passed by, and she stood. Sakura then bent over and placed a light kiss on Naruto's lips.

So she _had_ fallen for him…

Oh, how terrible that felt. He had finally won the heart of his dream girl, and yet it was too late.

She gazed at him for one last moment, and then turned around. She hugged me, and I patted her back.

"You did it. See? That wasn't so bad."

She nodded with her face in my chest. When she let go, I stepped in front of the casket. Looking down, I saw that Sakura had managed to muster enough courage to place the headband in Naruto's hands. When I gazed into his face, it was like a stab to my heart. He was so young… The youth in Naruto's face was just too obvious to ignore. He looked just as he had the last time I had seen him, when he had declared our final battle, a battle that he would never live to fight. I bit my lip, and fought away every part of me that felt the need to break down. I had done great so far, keeping my emotions from bursting out. I managed to kneel, and I looked into Naruto's face.

Suddenly, everything was gone, and it was Naruto and I. My focus went into apologizing and explaining myself to Naruto. He had to know the truth.

"Naruto… It's… It's me, Sasuke. I wanted to say good-bye, and to apologize… I've been such a jerk to you, and yet you have been so willing to accept me with open arms. You wanted to help me… I understand that completely now. I was selfish. I was angry. I was stupid. The one thing I could never admit to you before though was that you were always my friend. I never broke our bond. It was why I refused you. It was why I never had a full intention to kill you. I had told myself that though we were far away, both in distance and in differences, you were still my friend and always would be. Even if we stayed on opposite sides of each other, and even if our values contradicted each other, I could never, ever, bring myself to hate you. It is virtually _impossible_ to hate you. When I heard what happened… I snuck away. I left. After I leave you today, the village is going execute me. I wanted to see you one last time before I turned myself in. I have never admitted this, not even to myself… but my strongest motive to see you today… was because I knew that I will not see you in the next world. You and I are two different men, and you have gone to a much better place than I will. So, good-bye Naruto, my friend."

I stood up, and I placed my hand on Naruto's for a moment. Then I turned around and returned to Sakura. She looked at me, saddened by this final moment.

She knew.

I knew she did.

Kakashi approached us, and asked, "Is that it, then? Are we finished?"

Sakura and I nodded, not taking our eyes off of each other. I heard the sound of wood-on-wood, and knew that Kakashi had shut the casket lid. After a moment of complete silence, Sakura spoke.

"So… this is it, isn't it? You're… surrendering…aren't you? Now?"

I nodded. "The moment I walked onto the village's grounds, I was asked to back down. It was… worth it. I wanted my final mission to be saying good-bye to my best friend… and my team."

Sakura nodded, with a distraught look on her face. I took my hand lifted her chin, so that she and I were eye-and-eye again. "Don't be so upset. It's alright." I smiled slightly.

I put my hand down, and she hugged me tightly. The embrace seemed so bittersweet, knowing that this would be the last time that she and I would ever see each other. When she let go, Kakashi came forward.

"Well Sasuke, I guess this is good-bye." He and I shook hands, and then Sakura and I shared one last glance. I then turned and found that my escorts had already returned. I made my way towards them, and began to ease my mind, so that I could readily accept what would come next.

Suddenly, there was a cry behind me.

"Sasuke! Wait!" Sakura came running to me, and threw her arms around me one last time, in a tight embrace, and gave me a sweet good-bye kiss. She pressed her forehead against mine, with tears streaming down her face. "Sasuke… I will never forget you. Thank you, so much… today has meant more to me than anything else in the world."

"No Sakura, thank you. You helped make my last day beautiful. You made this all bearable for me, and for that I am so grateful."

We were quiet after that, and remained in each other's arms for a little while. Finally, she pecked my cheek one last time, and we broke apart. I turned around, and didn't look back. If I had turned back, Sakura and Kakashi would have seen the tears that were finally rolling down my cheeks. As I was lead away, the clouds finally broke apart, and the sun shone through to the world below. It shone on my face, and dried away my tears.

I looked up and smiled to the sky. To myself I thought, "Thank you Naruto, for wiping away my tears."


End file.
